E2024-G144

The Western Missionaries Laid to Rest in Gwangju: Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery

Narrative

Located in Yangnim Village next to Honam Theological University is the Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery. Buried there are over 20 Westerners as well as one Korean. Among them are many women, as well as some children. The cemetery shows the influence of a Western style cemetery, which differs greatly from traditional Korean style cemeteries. Among those buried here, there are even some people who had returned to America, but wanted to be buried in Gwangju where they spent much of their lives. Men buried in the cemetery include Clement Owen (1867-1909), Louis Brand (1894-1938), Ronald Dietrick (1927-2015), and Dick Nieusma Jr. (1930-2018). Women include Anabel Nisbet (1869-1920), Harriet Dodson (1884-1924), Katheryn Gilmer (1897-1926), Amelia Emerson (1860-1927), Cara Ross (1868-1927), Gertrude Chapman (1869-1928), Ella Graham (1889-1930), Jessie Levie (1896-1931), Thema Thumm (1902-1931), Elizabeth Shepping (1880-1934), and Ruth Nieusma (1930-2016). Among those buried here, there is even a married couple, Dick and Ruth Nieusma. Through this, we can see that many women in particular left their homeland to do missionary work in a far away country and never returned.